UPDATE 1-Protests erupt in Syria after massacre, 2 killed

May 27, 2012|Reuters

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AMMAN, May 27 (Reuters) - Syrian forces shot dead at leasttwo men on Sunday as protests broke out to condemn a massacrethat killed at least 109 civilians, many of them children, inthe town of Houla, opposition activists said.

The two were killed in the Damascus suburbs of Yalda andDaraya, home to thousands of refugees who have fled a militarycrackdown on the central province of Homs.

One of those killed, 22-year-old Riad Mahmoud, was among acrowd of 2,000-3,000 people who marched in the neighbourhood ofYalda on the southern edge of the capital and were confronted byarmed members of political security, a secret police division,two activists in contact with the district said.

Footage broadcast by activists in Yalda showed a crowd ofhundreds at Mahmoud's funeral shouting "the people want thedownfall of the regime".

"The funeral turned into another demonstration against theregime and in support of Homs," said opposition campaigner Walidal-Omari.

Activists said forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assadkilled at least 109 people, mostly women and children, on Fridayin Houla in Homs province, in one of the biggest massacres ofthe 14-month uprising against his rule.

Syria, facing growing world outrage over the killings, onSunday accused rebels of carrying out the massacre.